Cartoon Life

So, I read a lot of magazines (more on that later). Early last year I sprung for an actual subscription to the New Yorker, because as a New Yorker, I feel this is my duty if not a mandatory expense.

Anyway, every Monday when the issue arrives I do three things: 1) open to the back page and see what's going on with the "Caption This" contest (a brilliant ploy to get more people to their website.) 2) Scan the table of contents (At best, one article and one movie review will strike my fancy.) 3) Check out the books reviewed in the "Briefly Noted" section (as this pertains to my job.) At this point, I'm basically done with my New Yorker until I remember the best part--those damn cartoons!

Probably a few months ago this little gem popped up mid-issue, and I couldn't stop laughing. See, I religiously pick up change off the street, and I'm pretty good at it (yes it's a skill.) And you risk serious embarrassment going after change on the street: once, at the 157th st 1 stop, I ducked for a penny, and a dude called out,"That's my penny!" He didn't laugh, and looked totally serious--and many (many) people saw this. I was shocked someone (besides me) would care about a penny, I just stuffed it in my pocket and kept walking. My reasoning: It's not REALLY his penny, and I made the effort to pick up the brown coin that actually resembles old gum stuck to the ground (and touching it is probably as sanitary as licking a subway pole), so it rightfully belonged to me. Sorry dude. Jack Ziegler, you obviously understand the power of finding a dropped coin.

PS: You can buy this cartoon as a T-shirt?! Nice, except I don't wear t-shirts, and while we are on the subject--check out this stunt by CNN to make some extra $$. Corny dude.